GiGiPREP: EmployAble – Our new employment prep program!

We are excited to share with you EmployAble! A GiGi’s San Diego new employment prep program.

What is EmployAble?

The EmployAble program is designed to prepare adults with Down syndrome for employment opportunities and/or professional settings. This program will be led by Valerie Schlieder, a doctoral of Occupational Therapy student who is focusing her studies on promoting inclusive employment opportunities for adults with Down syndrome. 

This program is designed to introduce adults with DS to various employment opportunities while developing appropriate skills for professionalism, communication, time management, and more. The EmployAble program will take a strengths-based approach and will encourage participants to explore job interests of their choice.

About the program

Adults have been meeting on Mondays and Wednesdays to prepare them for interviews that will be held the week before and week after the program.

This program is lead by Valerie Schlieder, who is getting her occupational therapy degree from the University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences in San Marcos, CA. She has worked for “The Lucky Few”, a non-profit organization focused on DS advocacy. She loves going on walks, the beach, skiing, and online shopping!
“I’m excited to work with people with DS to empower them to live meaningful lives!” – Valerie S.

We are so grateful to share this program with our adult participants!!